Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-04-20

When the officers came to his
house Lotten was writing, and upon
being told that he was wanted went at
once, thinking there was some mis-
take which could be easily explained,
and it was not until brought before
the magistrate that he learned that
he was charged with murder.
He told his story as we have
already done above, and pleaded his
innocence, but the evidence against
him seemed too strong, and he was
sent to prison to await his trial.
No one else had seen the two
tramps, nor could any traces OF them
be found.
Loften lay awake all night IN his
cell. He knew that be was innocent,
bnt how was he to prove it? He bad
and now he was in prison accused OF
murderl He thought of the grief and
shame it would cause to his friends.
| Then he broke down and cried like q
child.
After that he remembered nothing.
When the jailer came with his
breakfast he found him staring at the
blank wall of his CELL He spoke to
him, but the prisoner did not move.
| Loften was mad.
| He was committed to an insane
asylum, but the judge made g. stlpu-
lation that if ne should ever recover
his reason he should be tried for MUIR
der.
For seven years Charles Loften was
in the insane asylum. He ate and
| oil nd 70 xo, y1& fn IIv hv7
nurse with some of the other
never appeared to notice anybody or
anything.
At the end OF seven years his reason
suddenly returned. Everything was
clear up to the night of his imprison-
ment, but of the time he had spent in
the asylum he remembered nothing.
The court was notified that he had
recovered his reason, and time was
set for his trial.
On the night before Charles Lotions
trial a robbery was attempted in g.
neighboring town.
| Between one and two in the morn
ing the owner of q handsome place on
the outskirts of the town was awak-
ened and thought he heard some one
moving in the house. He got up and
went to his door and found that
some one was moving about in the
| library.
The house was lighted by electricity,
and by pressing g. button at the head
of the stairs the light could be turned
on all over the first floor.
This he did, and in an instant every
room was lighted.
Two men who had been CROP
ing about in the darkness were
at first blinded and stupefed
by the bright light coming so sud-
denly; then they came to their senses
and ran, and as the proprietor
hurried down stairs he saw them run
ming through the house and escaping
by d side door.
AS the men crossed the yard the
night watchman saw them and fired
his pistol. The foremost man fell,
but the other made good his escape.
On the first day of Lotions trial a
jury had been selected, afew witnesses
had been called and the court ad-
journed.
On the second day of the trial, just
as the third witness was about to
take the stand, a. note was handed to
the Judge.
It stated that, on examining the
wounds OF the burglar who had been
shot in the neighboring town two
nights before, it had been found that
he could not live, and on learning
this the man made g. confession.
He said that seven or eight years
before he and one Of his companions
had murdered man in Dead Mans
Canon and robbed him of some val
liable papers which he had in his pos
session. He knew that an innocent
man had been arrested, but thought
he would be acquitted. He had after
wards learned that the man, whose
name was Charles Loften, had be-
come insane and was placed in an
asylum.
The man who listened to the story,
knowing that Loften was now on
trial for this crime. had sent for g.
Justice and had the man make an aft
davit, which he sent at once to the
court.
When the judge had read the note
the affidavit was sworn to, and
Charles Loften, after seven years I'M
prisonment for crime he had never
committed. was once more at liberty.
A Frightful Episode.